The tactical results of the Wilderness in 1864 and Chancellorsville in 1863 are practically identical - same casualties and similar situation. However, in 1863, Hooker allowed Lee to take the initiative and dictate their moves for the rest of the year. In 1864, Grant continued South. Under any other US eastern commander, both Wilderness and Spotsylvania would have *ended* campaigning for the year. That gets you to 1866...

My criticism with Grant is that he stopped too soon. 20-20 hindsight shows that all of the offensive agility was fought out of Lee's forces by July. Only the Petersburg trenches saved the ANV for another 10 months.

I suspect that Sherman, or another Grant protégée, may have done the same...